Paul McCain has written a post on why blogs fail (which I find interesting as I have consider folding this blog). These are his main points:
- They offer little more than constant axe-grinding and carping on a particular subject.
- They lack focus and purpose.
- They indulge too much in playing to the crowd.
- They do not serve the niche they are trying to reach.
- They are not comfortable in “their own skin.”
- They are insincere or desperate cries for attention.
- They don’t have a plan for regular posting.
See full post here (HT: Justin Taylor).
Let me confess where I fail: 2, 3, 4, and 5. So how do I reamp this blog going into 2010 to make it a valuable use of my time?
Thoughts?
the archives near Emmaus 
Brian,
I can honestly say that I totally fail at 2, & 7, and maybe 4. But I am not a professional blogger, it’s a hobby. That’s like saying my photography has no focus or purpose because I don’t have a regular time for it. It’s a hobby of mine, hobbies should be fun. I blog because I enjoy the interaction with like minded people. I have made a few friends and if that is all it ever amounts to then I am ok with that.
Sure I would like it to be more, but then I would have to shift my focus and make blogging more of a profession. I don’t have that sort of time, so I am content with the few blogs that I do. Honestly I feel that if I completely stopped blogging I would be cutting off some friends that I like interacting with. So I’ll keep at it for now.
True, there is a sort of blogging community that has kept me around even when I don’t feel like blogging.
Brian, don’t stop blogging!
I think it’s just a good place to get some feedback on some thoughts or questions you might have… I agree that sometimes we can get too involved in the blogging world, but honestly, I’ve received so much help from people that I would have never met unless I had a blog or even looked at blogs that it’s hard for me to just say blogging is a no-go for me. I think it’s alright to blog every now and then and as long as you can make sure you don’t spend hours on Google Reader or whatever, I think it’s more of a positive than anything…
Mike,
Thank you for the encouraging words. I intend on continuing in 2010. I will be doing some things different for sure to make it less laborious!